 AUTO REVIEW:
Overall Performer: 2011 Dodge Charger Rallye Plus
Totally awed with its perfomance, looks and the list of features, our automotive editor Sally Miller Wyatt says there is nothing more you could possibly want in a car, giving it a two thumbs up.
(Above): Exterior view of the 2011 Dodge Charger.
Sometimes I just don’t want to give a test car back.
The 2011 Dodge Charger Rallye was an immediate hit with this family, based first on very positive visual first impressions that were then completely confirmed once we piled in and hit the road.
The all-new for 2011 Dodge Charger is a stylish blend of old school muscle car that has been loaded up with all the best of today’s technology. On the outside, you have a four-door vehicle that somehow looks like a coupe, and yet still manages to offer generous interior dimensions.
The Charger makes a strong visual statement, with its distinctive front grille and hood “scallops,” chiseled side panels, 18-inch chrome aluminum wheels, and all-new tail lamp design that incorporates 164 LED bulbs that light up when you activate the keyless remote. At night, you can see that from the distance, and it is eye-catching to say the least. To top all that off, our test car’s exterior color – Blackberry Pearl – was matched with tan leather interior. Nice pairing.
The 2011 Dodge Charger is available in three models: the Charger SE, the Charger R/T and the R/T AWD. To these models are added an array of “lifestyle packages” that Dodge press materials say are designed to give customers “high-value content for their specific needs.” These include Rallye, Rallye Plus, R/T Plus, R/T Road & Track, and R/T Max packages. Our test car was equipped with the Rallye Plus package, and for an additional $4,000 it included a long list of items, including an 8.4-inch touch screen display, Uconnect Voice Command with Bluetooth, SIRIUS Satellite radio, auto-dimming review mirror with microphone, remote USB port, a 276-watt amplifier and six premium speakers, remote start system, dual-zone air conditioning, heated front and rear seats, heated and cooled front console cup holders, a compass, nifty interior LED lighting and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shifter knob.
(Above): Interior view of the 2011 Dodge Charger.
Chargers also are equipped with either that legendary 5.7-liter HEMI engine with four-cylinder fuel-saver technology, or an all-new V-6 engine. Our test car was equipped with this engine, and it was a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 that delivered 292 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque. That measures up to a 63 percent increase in horsepower and 36 percent increase in torque over the previous 2.7-liter V6 versions. While we might have enjoyed testing out that HEMI engine for the thrills and excitement it provides, I was quite impressed with the Pentastar V-6. Just as smooth and swift as a cheetah, it offered all the power and performance you would expect at hard acceleration, yet it was delivered as if on a silver plate: smooth and whisper quiet. This, even at maximum freeway speed. That quiet, authoritative performance is bolstered by an all-new electro-hydraulic power steering system that offers 25 percent quicker steering, a precise road feel, reduced steering noise and improved fuel consumption.
Always on the lookout for safety enhancements, I note that there are more than 65 safety and security features on board the 2011 Dodge Charger. They include standard keyless “Enter-N-Go” and electronic stability control with Ready Alert Braking and Rain Brake Support, which helps improve overall handling. Also available for the first time are Adaptive Cruise Control with Forward Collision Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path Detection (a bonus for avoiding parking lot collisions) and ParkView rear backup camera with grid lines, for those who are reverse-driving challenged. Dodge Chargers are also equipped with active head restraints, standard full-length side curtain air bags, driver’s knee air bag, as well as front seat-mounted side thorax air bags.
(Above): Exterior view of the 2011 Dodge Charger.
As for passenger comfort, you have plenty of room for all five passengers, even those seated in the rear middle. Despite a sloping roofline, there is enough rear head room in here to accommodate even our 6-foot, four-inch tall passenger. Trunk space is good enough for that family of five, as well.
Like I said, the 2011 Dodge Charger is an eye-catching car that offers breath-taking performance. We’re sorry to see it go.
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